VIETNAM PHOTO TOUR 10 DAYS 9 NIGHTS

Dear Guests,

We at Luxury Travel Agency Vietnam are proud to introduce one of Asia leading Photographers Dave Hughes Vietnams best photo tour leader. He is that rare breed of guide his technical skills around his art are consummate. You will see some of his work here. What makes Mr Hughes so special is his knowledge he has lived here for over 15 years and his people skills are outstanding so you can really get to know the man. He has an art for opening up any subject to photo… Some say he is all so funny not sure about that…lol. Please see below a selection of our tours Dave Hughes leads. Vietnam Photo Tour

Day 1: Hanoi arrival (D, G)

We will start the day at the wholesale market on the edge of the city. This is a “major League” market where fruit and vegetables are bought and sold in bulk…a true delight for photographers. We will then head for the old quarter where the narrow streets offer perfect soft light. Walking up through these streets we will eventually reach Hoan Kiem Lake where many of the locals come in the mornings to practice their Tai Chi, A walk around the lake will offer us some very unusual photo opportunities.

After breakfast we will then head off to the temple of literature. Built in 1060 and dedicated to Confucius, we will get a chance to mingle with the graduating students dressed in their finery, a truly colorful event. You can then have an afternoon of free time to get to know this fabulous city. In the evening we will do some “low light” shots of Hoan Kiem Lake where the city lights reflect magically across the lake. Dinner will be in a fabulous restaurant overlooking this great center piece.

​Day 2: Hanoi/Halong Bay (B, L, D, G)

This morning we take a private bus to Halong City where we board our wonderful junk boat, at midday we set sail. You will meet your crew members and check into your luxury, on suite, cabins.

Lunch will be served on board after which the day’s activities begin. Our first stop will be Vung Vieng where a tender will take us to visit one of the largest fishing villages in Halong Bay.

We will get a chance to explore the lives of the villagers and then we will drop in to a pearl processing farm. Once back on board we will then move to the Hang Trong area for overnight anchor.

Sunsets here can be hauntingly beautiful so make sure you have your tripods at hand. We will then get a chance to see a short cooking class before enjoying our Gala Dinner shortly after sunset.

Day 3: Halong Bay/Cat Ba Island (B, L, G)

Get up as early as you like, in fact, the earlier the better to catch the “ghost like” mist rising off the water with the old junks in the background. After breakfast we change boats to travel to the island of Cat Ba.

At Cat Ba Island, we check into a fabulous resort with private beach. Around 5pm we will go to the harbor to shoot sunset with many junk boats as our backdrop.

​Day 4: Halong Bay/Hanoi (B, L, G)

After another wonderful sunrise shoot and a nice breakfast we will take to the water again and head back to Halong Harbor where we will enjoy lunch on board before driving back to Hanoi City.

​Day 5: Hanoi/Ninh Binh (B, L, G)

After an early morning shoot in the city we will hit the road and take the 3 hour journey to Ninh Binh. Ninh Bình is a province in northern Vietnam’s Red River Delta.

In the province’s northwest, the vast Cúc Phương National Park is known for its green valleys , karst mountains and conservation centers.

It has hiking trails and caves, and is home to many rare species including langur monkeys and pangolins. In the northeast, its namesake capital city is a base for exploring nearby temples. After checking into our private bungalows we will spend the afternoon/early evening at Bich Dong pagoda where we will have traditionally dressed models to enhance our photo session.

Day 6: Ngo Dong River (B, L, G)

At first light we will take small boats, 2 people per boat, for a 3 hour trip down the Ngo Dong River. The excursion starts at the village of Van Lam and proceeds through scenic landscape dominated by beautiful rice fields. This trip will take us through 3 caves with the largest being 125m long and the ceiling just 2m above the water.

Vietnam Travel Agency

The boats are rowed by local women, sometimes with their hands and sometimes with their feet. For breakfast we will go to a local noodle café and have the most delicious traditional soup. In the afternoon we will take a motor powered boat and travel through a floating village where we will get a chance to mingle with the locals and even be invited into their homes. Sunset will be slightly further down river in a small fishing village.

Day 7: Ninh Binh/Mai Chau village (B, L, D, G)

The landscape around this area is spectacular and this morning we will be out there early to get some sunrise shots. After breakfast we will drive the 3 hours to Hoa Binh area where we will settle into the stunningly beautiful village of Mai Chau.

Vietnam Travel Agency

Later we will do a walk through a “Thai” village and some magical rice paddies to see the locals living as if time stood still. A buffet dinner will be served in the gardens of the hotel after which we will have a photo shoot of a local “love dance”

​Day 8: HHmong markets

Today is a very special day. Only on Sunday of every week do all the Hmong people from the neighboring small villages adorn their best traditional outfits and attend this amazing local market in the hills. It truly is a sight to behold.

We will spend a few hours here and also visit one of the small villages and drink tea with a local family in their home where Four generations live under one roof. After the market we will take a boat trip on a local lake where we hope to catch fish farmers at work. A local family will prepare lunch for us.

Late afternoon we take a walk to the local brick factory and photograph the workers in very unusual conditions. A dinner dance of a different kind this evening.

​Day 9: Hanoi/Hoi An (B, D, G)

A sunrise shoot and a walk around the local village and then after breakfast we will take a Three hour drive to the airport where we will board a plane bound for Hoi An.

Hội An is a city on Vietnam’s central coast known for its well-preserved Ancient Town, cut through with canals. The former port city’s melting-pot history is reflected in its architecture, a mix of eras and styles from wooden Chinese shop houses and temples to colorful French colonial buildings, ornate Vietnamese tube houses and the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge with its pagoda.

At sunset we will photograph the river running through the old town.

​Day 10: Hoi An (B, L, G)

We will do a very early morning walk around the Old City capturing the delights of this most charming place. As the sun licks the famous Japanese Bridge we will have beautiful models in place to give your photos that “something extra” and to help you practice some portrait shots. We will then venture around the delightful street market to get some great shots of this vibrant bustling daily event.

After breakfast in your riverside hotel we will visit a local fishing village where many fishing boats will be bringing in their catch. We will then take to the water in small round fishing boats and travel down river in a truly authentic style. Tonight we will round off our trip with a great dinner in a fabulous riverside restaurant.

​You can choose to fly back to Hanoi next day or stay on and relax in Hoi An.

Kindest Regards,

Luxury Travel Agency Vietnam

Our prices include:

Breakfast and accommodation sharing a twin or double room.

Pick-ups and transfers by private air-conditioned vehicle as specified in the itinerary above

Travel in an appropriate private air-conditioned vehicle and/or a Jeep with an experienced safe driver.

Boat cruise as programme. For Ha Long Bay, you’ll join other passengers on a high quality wooden boat with comfortable accommodation, good facilities and an experienced crew. The boat will be fully licensed and comply with current safety regulations.

The services of experienced English-speaking guides as indicated in the itinerary (please note: guides will be on hand from pick-up until guests’ return to their hotel or reaching their destination). Free days or part days will not include the services of a guide unless requested and included in the final itinerary.

Where necessary, entry fees for all visits as mentioned in the programme.

Lunches and dinners, as specified, in the best local restaurants, picnics where suitable restaurants are not available, and full board on the boat in Ha Long Bay.

VAT and other taxes

Our prices do not include:

International flight tickets and airport tax.

Visas

Dinners, except as specified above.

Drinks, gratuities and personal expenses.

Camera fees (if any)

Insurance

Surcharges for Peak seasons (if any)

Compulsory Christmas Eve’s dinner and Gala dinner (if any)

BOOK THIS TOUR

Mr. Thao

Vietnam Tour Guide:

“An was the best Trip Leader we have ever had on all of our Luxury Travel Agency Vietnam. trips. He was caring, concerned, and his wonderful personality radiated. Every day was a new adventure, and he went above and beyond the itinerary to provide memorable experiences.”

Mr. Phuoc Happy

Vietnam Tour Guide:

“Phuoc Happy was warm, enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and candid regarding his country, and he provided us with countless learning and discovery opportunities in addition to the ones on the itinerary. He even provided us with a personal copy of the excellent video of our trip which he made for Luxury Travel Agency Vietnam”

Mr. Thai Khin Po

Cambodia Tour Guide:

“Khin Po was an excellent guide, very knowledgeable and fun to tour with. He made the best trip synopsis we’ve ever had—illustrated with his own artwork!”

Mr. Mana Phuang Boun

Laos Tour Guide:

“Mana Phuang Boun was wonderful. He was constantly striving to make sure we all got the most out of our trip. He is enthusiastic, knowledgeable, organized, and very professional. A wonderful Luxury Travel Agency Vietnam representative.”

“The organization of this entire trip was near perfection and the service first class. Our travel specialist created an itinerary that didn’t even require a lot of tweaking from my original description of what we were looking for”

“Best hotel: The Victoria Hotel in Chau Doc is perfect. Staff very kind and attentive, quality of room very good, food in restaurant very, very good and good location. The Golf Holte in Can Tho Smells like what it is, a government hotel and an…”

“The trip exceeded our expectations, and we attribute much of the success to Luxury Travel Agency Vietnam. I would not hesitate to use their services again and have already told my friends how pleased we were with the entire trip”

“We had very good guides”

“Mr Phuoc was outstanding. His command of global events and being able to put Vietnam into international context was impressive. Very personable, knowledgable, flexible and enthusiastic. A real ambassador for his country while also recognising the shortcomings and opportunities facing Vietnam. He didn’t just repeat history about sights, but he actively sought our own views and then worked out what would be of interest and why. If we were to revisit Vietnam, or recommend a top guide, it would be Mr Phuoc”

“Thanks to Luxury Travel Agency Vietnam Team”

“I am very pleased with how much effort the booking agents put into helping me customize my trip. They were receptive to my input and understanding when I wanted to make changes. They also helped me put my itinerary together very quickly. I booked the trip less than two weeks before I travelled. Luxury Travel Agency Vietnam was successfully able to get me a visa in time for my trip with the strict time constraint we were working under.”

“I will come back Vietnam”

“I wish I had time to see Sa Pa. I am already trying to figure out when I can go back to Vietnam just so I can visit Sa Pa. Even though Ha Long Bay is incredibly beautiful and it was one of my favorite places, I wish I had opted to visit Bai Tu Long or a nearby area instead. Ha Long Bay was so overcrowded and touristy, it was disappointed to be stuck in such a limited area of the Bay when it is so vast. I would recommend that travelers explore their options and stay in nearby areas Cat Ba, Bai Tu Long, Lan Ha, etc and spend more time.”

LUXURY TRAVEL AGENCY VIETNAM

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